What is that clear, snot-like stuff down there?

A woman's genitals need adequate protection. After all, it is the most important private part of a woman, so enough effort should be put into personal hygiene and other aspects. When women enter puberty, a transparent, snot-like liquid will begin to flow out of their lower body. What is this liquid medically? In fact, this is women's leucorrhea. If purulent leucorrhea occurs, it is pathological.

Classification

1. Physiological leucorrhea

Normal leucorrhea is white, paste-like or egg white-like, sticky, has no fishy smell, and is in small amount. It is called physiological leucorrhea. Due to the action of the pelvic floor muscles, the female vaginal opening is closed and the front and back walls are tightly attached. The moisture in the leucorrhea keeps the female vagina moist. This moist environment can reduce the friction between the front and back walls of the vagina and protect the vaginal walls from damage. At the same time, this moist state makes women's vagina lubricated and elastic, which is beneficial to improving the quality of sexual life.

2. Pathological leucorrhea

When there is inflammation of the reproductive tract such as vaginitis and acute cervicitis or cancer occurs, the amount of leucorrhea increases significantly and the properties change, which is called pathological leucorrhea.

Abnormal manifestations

1. Cheese-like or tofu-like leucorrhea: It is candidal vaginitis, often accompanied by severe vulvar itching or burning pain.

2. Thin, purulent, yellow-green, foamy, foul-smelling leucorrhea is characteristic of Trichomonas vaginitis, accompanied by vulvar pruritus.

3. Grayish white, thin, fishy-smelling leucorrhea is a characteristic of bacterial vaginosis, accompanied by mild vulvar itching.

4. Purulent leucorrhea: yellow or yellow-green in color, sticky, and often has a foul odor, caused by bacterial infection. It can be seen in gonorrheal Neisseria vaginitis, acute cervicitis and endocervicitis, vaginal cancer or cervical cancer complicated by infection. Purulent leucorrhea can also be caused by uterine cavity pyometra or foreign bodies retained in the vagina.

6. Watery leucorrhea: Vaginal discharge that is thin, watery or rice-like and has a fishy odor. It is seen in advanced cervical cancer, vaginal cancer or submucosal fibroids with infection. Intermittent discharge of clear, yellow-red or red watery leucorrhea should be considered as a possible cause of fallopian tube cancer.

7. Bloody leucorrhea: There is blood mixed in the leucorrhea, and the amount of blood varies. Cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, cervical polyps, cervical columnar epithelium ectopia with infection or uterine submucosal fibroids should be considered. Insertion of an intrauterine device can also cause bloody leucorrhea.